Man's car torched after being named on 'snitching' site

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TACOMA, Wash. -- A Tacoma man who says he's helped police put dozens of gang members behind bars is now the victim of a crime as a result of that help.

The man, who does not want his identity revealed, said a Facebook page dedicated to exposing "snitches" lead to someone torching his car.

The car was completely destroyed by fire last Wednesday after the man says he cooperated with police.

"They broke the driver's window, lit a road flare, threw it in, set it on the seat and took off running," the man said.

After his second felony conviction, the man vowed to stop crime rather than committing it.

"If there's crime happening and I can prevent it, I'm going to try," he said.

But people on a Facebook page called Tacoma Snitches posted his picture and transcripts of testimony he me made against alleged criminals. He was also a witness in another case, and he said his previous car was torched after that, too. He said he's even had to move out of his home because he fears he'll be targeted.

"The streets think this is a joke, and it's fun and games that this is what they're doing. And it's really not," the man said. "I don't see how justice is serving. I'm helping the county and Tacoma put people away who are doing the wrong thing. Most people wouldn't step up to the plate and tell about what happened."

Other than a hundred dollars here and there and some gas money, the man said he gets no help from police for helping them. After this latest incident, he now says he regrets working with the police.

"I did what I did to stay free, not to live my life in fear," he said.

A Tacoma police source confirms the essence of the man's story, and Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said he expects a report on the incident from police. But both cautioned that there's a fine line between free speech on Facebook and criminal witness intimidation.

As for the Tacoma Snitches Facebook page, the administrator took it down after KOMO's original story, but the page is back up.

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